Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic
Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) has issued various Shariah standards regarding Islamic modes of finance for the proper
regulation of Islamic Banks and financial institutions. This happened to be a very fruitful and successful effort in
order to harmonise and uniform Islamic commercial law and almost all the Islamic
banks and financial institutions around the world are following these standards
today. However such efforts are greatly required in other fields as well
especially in matters of halal (permissible)
and haram (prohibited).
There is great need felt by Muslim consumers in every corner of the globe to know the exact parameters of halal and haram in consumer products especially in this age of advance technology. It is, therefore hoped that an adequate Shariah standard should be promulgated by AAOIFI or any other body of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to guide the relevant authorities and Muslim consumers in ascertaining halal and haram products for the benefit of Ummah as a whole. This will not only help to uniform Islamic law of halal and haram especially in modern age when many products are process mysteries and consumers know nothing about them.
On the other hand, many Muslim and non-Muslim countries have established halal regulatory bodies and authorities but the basic concern of these bodies is to expand the business portfolio and maximum export of the products rather than protection and preservation of faith which is the basic concern of the notions of halal and haram in Islam. Indeed it is allowed to earn profit and export halal products but such gain should not be at the stake of faith of the Muslim consumers. Moreover, absence of a uniform Shariah standard on halal products makes them doubtful not only for the relevant authorities but also for the Muslim consumers and easily escapable for the perpetrators.
While making Shariah Standard on halal products the important areas such as Islamic law regarding edibles, beverages, manufactured products such as medicines, cosmetics, packaging and labelling, metamorphosis, issue of alcohol, and intoxication etc should not be ignored. In this context whatever is prohibited by Shariah should thoroughly be reviewed in the light of interpretations of Muslim jurists. Liability for manufacturing haram products with halal logo should also be prescribed in the standard and strict compliance should be insured. The use of halal logo needs proper attention in this regard as most of the time a producer once issued a licence to sell halal products later on stops following the rituals but continues selling products with halal logo. This and other unfair practices should strictly be controlled by the relevant authority. To ascertain the legitimacy of a particular product under Shariah along with the religious scholars food technologists must also be taken on board and views of the common consumers should also be considered. Once such a Shariah Standard is promulgated all the Muslim countries and organisations of Muslims in non-Muslim countries should unanimously apply the standard and make it a part of their respective jurisdiction.
This will help building confidence of the Muslim consumers regarding halal products and promotion and protection of faith of Muslim masses which is the primary objective of Shariah in halal and haram. This is not the task of any particular community to uphold the standard of halal and haram rather it is the duty of the Ummah as a whole which can only be achieved through an adequate Shariah standard that will lead to the establishment of concerned authorities throughout the world. Thus making any authority without having a proper Shariah Standard will be a futile exercise which may result in financial gain for the time being but in long run it may not be able to maintain confidence of the Muslim consumers.
There is great need felt by Muslim consumers in every corner of the globe to know the exact parameters of halal and haram in consumer products especially in this age of advance technology. It is, therefore hoped that an adequate Shariah standard should be promulgated by AAOIFI or any other body of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to guide the relevant authorities and Muslim consumers in ascertaining halal and haram products for the benefit of Ummah as a whole. This will not only help to uniform Islamic law of halal and haram especially in modern age when many products are process mysteries and consumers know nothing about them.
On the other hand, many Muslim and non-Muslim countries have established halal regulatory bodies and authorities but the basic concern of these bodies is to expand the business portfolio and maximum export of the products rather than protection and preservation of faith which is the basic concern of the notions of halal and haram in Islam. Indeed it is allowed to earn profit and export halal products but such gain should not be at the stake of faith of the Muslim consumers. Moreover, absence of a uniform Shariah standard on halal products makes them doubtful not only for the relevant authorities but also for the Muslim consumers and easily escapable for the perpetrators.
While making Shariah Standard on halal products the important areas such as Islamic law regarding edibles, beverages, manufactured products such as medicines, cosmetics, packaging and labelling, metamorphosis, issue of alcohol, and intoxication etc should not be ignored. In this context whatever is prohibited by Shariah should thoroughly be reviewed in the light of interpretations of Muslim jurists. Liability for manufacturing haram products with halal logo should also be prescribed in the standard and strict compliance should be insured. The use of halal logo needs proper attention in this regard as most of the time a producer once issued a licence to sell halal products later on stops following the rituals but continues selling products with halal logo. This and other unfair practices should strictly be controlled by the relevant authority. To ascertain the legitimacy of a particular product under Shariah along with the religious scholars food technologists must also be taken on board and views of the common consumers should also be considered. Once such a Shariah Standard is promulgated all the Muslim countries and organisations of Muslims in non-Muslim countries should unanimously apply the standard and make it a part of their respective jurisdiction.
This will help building confidence of the Muslim consumers regarding halal products and promotion and protection of faith of Muslim masses which is the primary objective of Shariah in halal and haram. This is not the task of any particular community to uphold the standard of halal and haram rather it is the duty of the Ummah as a whole which can only be achieved through an adequate Shariah standard that will lead to the establishment of concerned authorities throughout the world. Thus making any authority without having a proper Shariah Standard will be a futile exercise which may result in financial gain for the time being but in long run it may not be able to maintain confidence of the Muslim consumers.
The author is lecturer in law at the
International Islamic University, H-10 Islamabad, Post Code: 44000, Pakistan.
He can be reached at: m.akbar@iiu.edu.pk ; Cell No: +92-3329424065
